Located at the bottom of Mexico’s magnificent Copper Canyon complex, the tiny town of Batopilas is one of the most remote villages in Mexico, if not in the world. It’s an unlikely place for a community to spring up, but unlike so many other remote villages, which seem to have chosen their locations randomly, Batopilas was born of necessity when when silver was discovered in the canyon.

Batopilas Town Square, Copper Canyon, Mexico

In the 18th and 19th centuries the silver mines of Batopilas, among the richest in the world, attracted a population of nearly 10,000 to this isolated, nearly inaccessible canyon. Among them was John Robinson, an American who purchased an old claim in 1861 that had a large, hidden vein. In 1880 he sold the claim for $600,000 to fellow American Alexander Shepherd, Read More »

Penguins at Roosevelt Park Zoo, Minot

When you think of North Dakota, you may think of wide open spaces, flat land, and long stretches of straight roads.  You may think of fishing or hunting in the Devils Lake area.  You may think of Medora and the Badlands and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

You may not think of going to the zoo.

Yes, folks, it’s true–there are zoos in North Dakota.  And while they may not be as sprawling as the Minnesota Zoo or the Columbus Zoo, they still have lots to offer.  Zoo animals?  Check.  Pleasant pathways through the zoo? Check.  Zoo memberships? Check.  Special events?  Check.  Affordable admission?  Check.  Crowds to fight?  Sorry, you’ll have to go somewhere else for those. Read More »

Jesuit priest Juan Maria Salvatierra arrived in the town of Cerocahui in 1680 and began the long process of converting Tarahumara Indians of Mexico‘s Copper Canyon to Christianity. During the ten years he spent in Cerocahui, he began construction of a mission church, built of simple adobe.

Lovely Mission at Cerocahui, Copper Canyon, Mexico

Salvatierra eventually moved on to Baja California, but other Jesuits arrived to carry on the work, which in addition to religious proselytizing included animal husbandry and the production of wine from cuttings Read More »

Springtime Boaters in Central Park

Springtime in New York City is so refreshing. Those first warm days marking the end of a dreary winter draw everyone outdoors and thankfully Central Park is there to host everyone’s interests. On a visit to the Upper West Side we had some time to kill on a beautiful spring day and found ourselves approaching Central Park, near 77th Street, or mid-park. We began on the park’s West Side at the American Museum of Natural History and followed a winding little path that turned out to be The Ramble, providing us with a perfect tour of some of the park’s biggest hits.

Read More »